Nykøbing Mors, North Jutland, Denmark

After lying in bed enjoying the warmth, followed by a great breakfast of mushroom omelet and avocado with toast, we set a route to Nykøbing Mors from Lem Vig and pulled up anchor at 11:25 a.m. this morning. In the shelter of the anchorage, it was chilly and overcast, but the west wind was only blowing at 8 knots. As soon as we got out on the open water of the Limfjord, it picked up to 22 knots, and there were 1 to 2 foot choppy waves. We set the genoa with the engine but then cut the engine at noon because the sailing conditions were excellent and we were moving at 6.5 knots with just the foresail. 

Sherri at the wheel dressed for the weather

Around 1 p.m., we arrived at the Oodesund Bridge, having read it opens twice an hour at 15 after the hour and 15 before. This may be true in the high season, which has not started yet, but, unfortunately, it only opens at 15 before the hour right now, so the bridge tender told us we had plenty of time for a cup of coffee! Not being coffee drinkers, we had a lunch of crackers, cheese and fruit while we waited for 40 minutes and drifted to the west of the bridge. 

After we were to the east of the bridge, we raised the main sail with three reefs. Along with the genoa, we sailed at a speed of 5.5 knots on a broad reach. The wind had dropped to 12-16 knots, but there were still gusts over 20.

At 4:30, we arrived at Nykøbing Mors Marina and Yacht Club, where some people on the wharf helped us tie up. The docking fees here in Denmark are fairly inexpensive (about $20 a day plus additional fees for showers or laundry). 

After Peter had a cup of tea and we tidied up the boat, we walked into town. First, we walked along part of the waterfront, past boats of the Limfjord fishing fleet. In front of them is a granite sculpture carved by local artists from a single piece of granite, with the negative space shaped like an anchor. Then we strolled up the wide pedestrian street running perpendicular to the harbor and found it entirely deserted at 6 p.m. on a Saturday evening. The usual dinner hour for Danes is 5:30 to 6:30, so maybe everyone was home eating?

Part of the fishing fleet

Anchor sculpture on the wharf

We walked by through Kirketorvet Square, where there was an interesting sculpture entitled "Drinking Horse." On the far side of the plaza was Nykøbing Mors Kirke (also known as Sankt Clemens Kirke), which was constructed in 1891 on the site of a previous church. A sign outside in Danish we interpreted to mean that the church was open; we were able to figure that out because there were mostly numbers and I figured that "åben" in Danish was close enough to "abierto" in Spanish. We walked into a light-filled sanctuary with a distinctively painted wooden ceiling and a lovely altar. As we were leaving we noticed a strange wooden sculpture of Christ shaped like a seat against a wall just inside the doors to the sanctuary. It was created and placed there in 2001. We found it particularly weird as everything else in the sanctuary was elegant and serene.

Drinking Horse

Nykøbing Mors Kirke

Interior, Nykøbing Mors Kirke

Detail of ceiling over the altar

Strange sculpture of Christ

Our next stop was a restaurant called Cafe Sult, where Peter enjoyed a quite large pot of steamed mussels with dill and green onion. (I had an acceptable veggie burger and fries.)

Peter with his meal

We then strolled for about an hour through Sønderherreds Plantage (Plantation), which includes a landscaped area with ponds and flower beds but mostly consists of open fields and wooded areas crisscrossed by several paths. The forest blocked the west wind. The deciduous trees, still leafed in spring shades of green, provided shelter and quietude. 

Flower bed in Sønderherreds Plantage

Oyster Girl sculpture

Peter walking through the woods

Around 10 p.m., before sunset, we returned to the dock, checked out the nice marina facilities and returned to Mantra for the night. Tomorrow morning we will visit a museum here in Nykøbing Mors and then sail the short distance to a smaller island, Fur.